Friday, June 14, 2013

Event 12: 9th Place - Torres

 $600 + $60 Six-Max No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry) 

 Alex Torres (Union City, NJ) 
$1,702

Blinds 2k/4k/400 ante 

Alex Torres is all in for 26k (4 bb) with A6 and against the 8 7 of  Gary Bowker who hits a 7 on the river for the knockout.

Torres finishes in 9th place for $1,702.

Event 12: Staying Alive

$600 + $60 Six-Max No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)  

1.5k/3k/300 ante

Brian Meola is down to 24k and all in again.  This time he flops a King with KQ against the pocket 4s of Abraham Korotki.

After the hand, binds are up to 2k/4k/400 ante.

Event 13: PLOh-Yeah!

$350 + $50 + $100 Black Chip Bounty PLO - High (Re-Entry)

 Christian Fyke & Michael Fiorito Grinding

This is turning into a classic PLO battle with both opponents trading punches and holding on.

No big swings to report.  Oddly both players are politely showing many hands after they fold - perhaps part of their strategy.

Whoever outlasts the other will capture $8,793 first place prize and the trophy and the final $100 bounty chip.

2nd place earns $4,773.

Blinds are 6,000 / 12,000

Michael has 400,000 vs. Christian's 700,000.

Thanks to one of Borgata's best, Kinh for dealing the hands!

Event 12: 10th Place - Alimena

$600 + $60 Six-Max No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry) 

Albert Alimena (Garden City, NY) 
$1,135

Blinds 1.5k/3k/400 ante

Albert Alimena raises to 9k and sees a 8♠ K 9♠ flop with Ireneusz Jozwiak. 

Alimena moves all in for 25k, Jozqiak calls.

Alimena: A♣ 7♠  (leads with Ace high, better kicker)
Jozqiak: A♠ 4♠ (nut flush draw)

Turn: 3♣

River: J♠

The spade on the river gives Jozqiak the winning flush to take his stack to 225k

Alimena is out in 10th place for $1,135.

The nine remaining players have average stack of 217k (72 bb).

Event 12: Don't Call it a Comeback

$600 + $60 Six-Max No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)  

Blinds 1.5/3k/300 ante

Brian Meola (New York, NY) is down to 2k and forced all in because he couldn't post his big blind. He survives the hand with Ace high and later adds a double-up to give him 60k.

The players continue to trade chips 10-handed.

Event 13: Christian Said His Prayers

$350 + $50 + $100 Black Chip Bounty PLO - High (Re-Entry)

Christian Fyke just doubled up thru Michael Fiorito two times. 

Now we got a game!

In hand #1, Fyke flopped a set of three's and shipped his stack into the middle.

Fiorito figured if he caught lucky he'd wrap things up right here and now but bricked out.

Fiorito K♣ 5♣ 7♣ 8♠ vs. Fyke 4♠ 3 3♠ K

Board: 9♠ 3♣ 7 2 J

Fyke takes down the pot.

A few hands later holding JJ8A, Christian doubles again beating Michael's 3AQK on a board of 5-10-8-10-3.

Fyke came all the way back to capture the lead, holding all the copper 25,000 chips.


Event 12: Break Time

$600 + $60 Six-Max No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry) 

The final ten players are on break with Gary Bowker (Clifton Heights, PA) holding the chip lead with 350k (112 bb).

The average stack is 195k (81 bb) with blinds at 1.5k/3k/300 ante.

Play resumes at 10:40 pm.

Event 13: Heads Up

$350 + $50 + $100 Black Chip Bounty PLO - High (Re-Entry)

 Michael Fiorito vs. Christian Fyke

Both admire the Event 13 PLO trophy as it makes an appearance on the table.

Fyke scoops a much needed double-up a few hands into heads up action when his 9-6-J-7 bests Fiorito's 2-2-8-9 on a board of 10-J-3-10-3.

Christian is still crushed, just not as crushed.

Event 13: Quintana - 3rd Place

$350 + $50 + $100 Black Chip Bounty PLO - High (Re-Entry)

 Jason Quintana (New York, NY)
$3,015

Jason Quintana runs into chipleader vacuum Michael Fiorito.

Michael uses his stack to raise with rags causing Jason to 3-bet and Michael to 4-bet.

When the dust settled, Michael flopped a straight that held up against Jason's 10-10-A-6.

Quintana earns $3,015 for his poker efforts today at Borgata. 


Event 12: 11th Place - Lapinta

 $600 + $60 Six-Max No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)  

Joe Lapinta (Toms River, NJ)
$1,135

Blinds 1.2k/2.4k/300 ante

Joe Lapinta is down to 40k and puts it all in with 10 9 against the pocket Jacks of Brian Meola.

The board offers no help and Lapinta is out in 11th place for $1,135.

Event 12: 12th Place - Lutz

$600 + $60 Six-Max No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry) 

Kevin Lutz (Bellmawr, NJ)
$1,135

Blinds 1.2k/2.4k/300 ante

Kevin Lutz is all in for ~50k with pocket 6 against the A 10 of chip leader Anthony An.  
Lutz is clean until a 10 hits the river.

Lutz finishes in 12th place for $1,135, this his second straight cash after winning $1,161 in Event 10 ($450 NL).

Event 13: Newton - 4th Place

$350 + $50 + $100 Black Chip Bounty PLO - High (Re-Entry) 

 James Newton (Egg Harbor Township, NJ)
$2,261

James Newton is very disappointed with his 4th Place finish.  The Pot Limit Pro wanted to take this one down but will have to try again next time.  His Dad Jim, supported his son from the rail.

It was steamroller Michael Fiorito who felted Newton.  Michael's J-9-5-3 vs. James Q-K-Q-8.

The chips got in pre-flop and the board ran 5-8-7-3-6 giving Michael two pair.

"He's running too good" said James as he headed for the exits.



Event 12: Final 12 Chip Counts

 $600 + $60 Six-Max No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry) 

The average stack is 163k (135 bb) with blinds at 1.2k/2.4k/300 ante. The following 12 players are vying for the $22,698 top prize.

Table 1

Alex Torres (Union City, NJ) 150k
Kevin Lutz (Bellmawr, NJ) 64k
Anthony An (Juneau, AK) 388k
Gary Bowker (Clifton Heights, PA) 220k
Anthony Caruso (Medford, NJ) 67k
Steven Tabb (Newton, MA) 275k

Table 2

Joe Lapinta (Toms River, NJ) 53k
David V. Corazza (Honesdale, PA) 97k
Abraham Korotki (Bethany Beach, DE) 200k
Albert Alimena (Garden City, NY) 137k
Ireneusz Jozwiak (Frederick, MD)  215k
Brian Meola (New York, NY) 105k

Event 12: Bubble Breaks

$600 + $60 Six-Max No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry) 

Paul Cassano (Bronx, NY) is the unfortunate bubble boy when his 21k short stack (Q 10) runs into the pocket Kings of Alex Torres (Union City, NJ)

The remaining 12 players are redrawing for seats at the final two tables as they're in the money for a $1,135 min cash.

Event 13: Mehta - 5th Place

$350 + $50 + $100 Black Chip Bounty PLO - High (Re-Entry)

Sharad Mehta (Cherry Hill, NJ)
$1,759

Sharad Mehta got his short stack in good after flopping a set of deuces - alas he couldn't sweat a river Jack that gave Jason Quintana a bigger full-house.

Sharad adds $1,759 to his Borgata Bankroll for his 5th Place finish.

Final Four are taking a well deserved ten minute break.


Event 13: Lipszyc - 6th Place

$350 + $50 + $100 Black Chip Bounty PLO - High (Re-Entry)

Sholom Lipszyc (Brooklyn, NY)
$1,507

The table cannot believe that Sholom Lipszyc is out of the tournament.  It seemed like Sholom was the chip leader all day but it was Michael Fiorito who captured his bounty and took-down the massive chip lead.

Michael jammed a flop of 8-6-4.  Sholom tanked, counted out his chips to see he was slightly behind, then called with only Ace high.

Turn 2 and River 8 gave Fiorito the full house and sent Sholom home in 6th Place earning $1,507.

You just never know what's gonna happen in this game.
  





Event 13: Bounty Check

$350 + $50 + $100 Black Chip Bounty PLO - High (Re-Entry)

Here are some chip counts and bounty checks for our final 6 Pot Limit Players.

Name - Chips - Bounties
Michael Fiorito - 197,500 - 7
James Newton - 190,000 - 3
Christian Fyke - 200,000 - 6
Sholom Lipszyc - 320,000 - 9
Sharad Mehta - 40,000 - 2
Jason Quintana - 145,000 - 5

Our chip-leader Sholom Lipszyc (Brooklyn, NY) also has the most bounties with 9.

Play has tightened up at our table.  Remember we're playing until we reach a winner tonight.

Event 12: Hand-for-Hand

$600 + $60 Six-Max No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)  

Another player down puts us on the bubble and hand-for-hand play.

Here's a look at who is still in the field:

Table 1

Ireneusz Jozwiak (Frederick, MD)
Abraham Korotki (Bethany Beach, DE)
Anthony An (Juneau, AK)
Brian Meola (New York, NY)

Table 2

Steven Tabb (Newton, MA)
Albert Alimena (Garden City, NY)
Kevin Lutz (Bellmawr, NJ)
Joe Lapinta (Toms River, NJ)
David V. Corazza (Honesdale, PA)

Table 3

Anthony Caruso (Medford, NJ)
Gary Bowker (Clifton Heights, PA)
Alex Torres (Union City, NJ)
Paul Cassano (Bronx, NY)

Event 13: Fooden - 7th Place

$350 + $50 + $100 Black Chip Bounty PLO - High (Re-Entry)

Bart Fooden (Point Lookout, NY)
$1,256

The man with "Black Bart" embroidered on his cap walks away with $1,256 for his 7th Place finish.
 

Event 12: Three Down, 2 from Money

$600 + $60 Six-Max No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)   

Three quick post-dinner eliminations sets the field at 14, two from the cash.

The casualties include Lou Procopio (Syracuse, NY) whose pocket 9s are no good against
the pocket Queens of Steven Tabb (Newton, MA) and good guy Bob Miller (Nanuet, NY) who asks, "are you here to see my demise?"

The "heck of a comeback" doesn't happen as he goes out in 15th place.

The remaining 14 players have an average stack of 139k (70 bb) with blinds at 1k/2k/300 ante.

Event 13: Mesler - 8th Place

$350 + $50 + $100 Black Chip Bounty PLO - High (Re-Entry)


Lance Mesler (Brick, NJ) - $1,005

End of the road for Lance Mesler who pockets just over a grand after busting out in 8th Place.

Lance had AA58 with a couple of clubs but couldn't beat his opponent who flopped a set of sixes.


Event 13: Bubble & Min Cash

$350 + $50 + $100 Black Chip Bounty PLO - High (Re-Entry)


Trenton Howard Cunningham - 9th Place - $754

Happy Days for Trenton "Howard Cunningham" who avoids being the bubble and captures $754 for his day at the office.

Trenton flopped two pair but his opponent Shared Mehta flopped a flush draw then turned the wheel after hitting a gutterball.

The hand before had James Newton sending Christopher Wall back to Philly as the Borgata Bubble Boy.



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Borgata Poker


The Borgata poker experience includes the latest in media coverage.  From the Borgata Poker Blog, to Twitter, to custom framed images they are all ways to highlight and showcase the players.

Our most recent addition to the social media coverage is an Instagram account that features all the candid shots from the Borgata Summer Poker Open.  We've compiled the action shots, trophy winners and overall Poker Room vibe in one spot.

Check out our account BorgataSummerPokerOpen and feel free to follow along as we continue to upload images throughout the series.

Special thanks to Eric Harkins of Image Masters for helping with this online gallery.  Many of the pictures you see on Instagram are available for purchase here.

Event 13: Final Table Time

$350 + $50 + $100 Black Chip Bounty PLO - High (Re-Entry)


PLO - Final Table

Seat - Player - Town
1. Michael Fiorito (Morganville, NJ)
2. Trenton Howard (Baltimore, MD)
3. James Newton (Egg Harbour Township, NJ)
4. Christian Fyke (Rivertowne, PA)
5. Lance Mesler (Brick, NJ)
6. Sholom Lipszyc
7. Christopher Wall (Philadelphia, PA)
8. Sharad Mehta (Cherry Hill, PA)
9. Bart Fooden (Point Lookout, NY)
10. Jason Quintana (New York, NY)



Event 13: Setting The Final Table

$350 + $50 + $100 Black Chip Bounty PLO - High (Re-Entry) 

Pot Limit Omaha players are back from dinner. 

Final ten are combining from two tables down to one after a re-draw.

We are on the bubble with the tenth player getting nothing (except their bounties) and the ninth player earning $754.

Play will continue until we crown our big Event winner tonight.

Event 12: Sixers On Dinner

$600 + $60 Six-Max No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)      

At the end of level 12, the Six Max players were sent on a one hour dinner break.

Just before the level ran out, a couple of players busted, leaving only 17.

Average stack is 115k.

Play will resume at 8:10 with level 13 (1k/2k/300 ante).

Anthony A. is still the chip leader with ~280k.

Event 39: Up & Running

$150 + $30 + $100 Black Chip Bounty NLH (Re-Entry)

Ready To Rumble

With Event 12 and Event 13 both on dinner break, the action to watch in Borgata Poker Room is Event 39 which kicked off at 7pm.

Players start with 15,000 chips and can enter thru Level 7.

This is a bounty tournament and will finish today.

Event 13: Dinner Time For Omaha

$350 + $50 + $100 Black Chip Bounty PLO - High (Re-Entry)  

Just before the clock ran out on level 12, a player busted out leaving just ten Omaha-lics.

They're now off for a one hour dinner break.

Play will resume at 7:55 pm with level 13 (1,500/3,000) with the money bubble as only the final 9 get paid.

Average stack is 111k.

Sholom Lipszyc (New York, NY) is the chip leader with ~310k.

He's also got 8 bounty chips in his pocket.

Event 12: More Goners

$600 + $60 Six-Max No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)      

Down to 24 players and only 12 get paid.

Average stack is 81k.

More players who have departed the Six Max:

Charles Furey
Lyle Diamond
Olivier Correge
Alan Kraut

Event 12: Torres Doubles

$600 + $60 Six-Max No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)     

Level 12:  Blinds 800/1,600 with 200 ante.

Alex Torres

Alex Torres was all-in pre-flop against the player in seat 3.

Alex:  AQ
Seat 3:  AT

Board:  8 6 3 4 Q

Alex doubled up to ~65k.

Event 13: New Chip Leader

$350 + $50 + $100 Black Chip Bounty PLO - High (Re-Entry) 

Level 11:   Blinds 800/1,500.

The final 18 players have assembled on the final two tables.

Only 9 get paid, so they're at the 50/50 point - half the remaining players will get paid and the other half will leave with just the bounties they've collected.


Sholom Lipszyc has taken the chip lead.  He's up to ~190k.

Event 12: Back From Break

$600 + $60 Six-Max No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)     

Level 11:  Blinds 600/1,200 with 200 ante.

Players have just returned from a break.

Only 33 remain.  Average stack is 59k.


Anthony A. - Chip Leader

Anthony A. is the chip leader with ~190k.

Anthony Caruso appears to be second with 130k.

Goners:

Perry Johnston
William Johnson
Dan Wach

Event 13: Omaha Exits


$350 + $50 + $100 Black Chip Bounty PLO - High (Re-Entry)

Level 10:  Blinds 600/1,200.

These Omaha-lics have departed today's event:

Robert Melo
Darius Studdard
Chris Baud
Kevin Truong
Manh Nguyen

22 players remain.  Average stack is 50k.

Event 13 - Payouts

Borgata Summer Poker Open
Event 13:  $350 + $50 + $100 Black Chip Bounty No Limit Hold'em
June 14, 2013

Entries:  74
Total Buy-In:  $25,900

PAYOUTS:
1:  $8,793
2:  $4,773
3:  $3,015
4:  $2,261
5:  $1,759
6:  $1,507
7:  $1,256
8:  $1,005
9:     $754

Event 13: PLOdding Along

$350 + $50 + $100 Black Chip Bounty PLO - High (Re-Entry) 

Pot Limit Omaha is down to only 23 players out of the (unofficial) 74 that entered.

They're on a break after finishing level 9.

Former chip leader Andy Zheng is gone. 

Michael Rigo

The new chip leader is Michael Rigo (Vineland, NJ). He's up to 105k.

Michael won the $200 Pot Limit Omaha event here during the August 2012 Borgata PLO Weekend, good for $5,090.

Just before the break, Sholom Lipszyc got all-in pre-flop against the player in seat 7.

Sholom: AKJT
Seat 7:  KQJ8 double suited

Board:  9 6 6 4 9 (no flush possible)

Unbelievably, Sholom took the pot with nut-no-pair.  He doubled up to ~96k.

Event 12 - Payouts

Borgata Summer Poker Open
Event 12:  $600 + $60 Six-Max No Limit Hold'em
June 14-15, 2013

Entries:  130
Total Buy-In:  $78,000

PAYOUTS:
1:        $22,698
2:        $13,997
3:        $10,403
4:          $7,755
5:          $5,864
6:          $4,161
7:          $3,216
8:          $2,459
9:          $1,702
10-12:  $1,135

Event 12: Correge Catches a Double

$600 + $60 Six-Max No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)    

On a flop of T 6 2, Olivier Correge (Hanover Twp, NJ) got all his chips in the middle holding K6 (middle pair).

Olivier Correge

He ran into a player holding 62 for two pair and Olivier was in trouble.

Then the last two came running 4s, giving both players sixes and fours, so Olivier's King kicker played.  He doubled up to ~40k.

Olivier won the 2013 Borgata Spring Poker Open $350 Black Chip Bounty event, taking home $25,570.

Event 12: New Chip Leader

$600 + $60 Six-Max No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)    

Anthony A. is in from out of town on business and doesn't want anybody to know he's playing poker, so no photos.

He's the new chip leader with ~120k.

Abe Korotki

Abe Korotki (Bethany Beach, DE) is up to ~95k and possibly second in chips.

Event 12: Break Time

$600 + $60 Six-Max No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)   

End of level 8 and players are taking 15. 

53 players remain.  Average stack is ~37k.

Michael Marder (Sewell, NJ) is doing much better on his second entry.  He's up to 55k.

Unofficially there were 130 entries.

Outta here:

Philip Rinaldi
David Johnston
Kal Alwan
Roger Souse
Chris Edwards
Gordon McKenzie
Rags Thiagrajah
James McKeon

Event 12: Chip Leader

$600 + $60 Six-Max No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)   

Level 8:  Blinds 300/600 with 75 ante.

Anthony Caruso

A chip leader has emerged and it is Anthony Caruso (Medford, NJ).  He's up to ~90k (six times the starting stack of 15k).

Anthony won his first and only Borgata Open title during the 2010 Summer Open in the $700 Six Max NLH event ($16,873) so he's proven himself in this format. 

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Purchase any framed commemorative for $90-$150 and receive  

 

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Come visit the Image Masters booth in the back of the Poker Room

 or text Eric at 314-365-2032.

(No calls, please.  He will call you back.)

Championship Qualifier Underway

The first Championship Qualifier of the Summer Open Series is underway. 

For $135 + $25, approximately 1 in 20 players will earn a $2,700 seat in the Borgata Summer Poker Open Championship event (two start days, Sunday and Monday).

Players began with 12,000 chips and levels are 20 minutes long.

Event 13: Chip Leader

$350 + $50 + $100 Black Chip Bounty PLO - High (Re-Entry)

 Level 6:  200/400

Last night's event 10 winner, Kevin Truong, (Brooklyn, NY) arrived and took his seat late at table 5 with:

Hoon Park
Sharad Mehta

There are 68 entries so far in this event with about 20 minutes to go before registration closes.

Andy Zheng

Andy Zheng (Pittsburgh, PA) is the chip leader with ~85k.

Event 13: Good Bounty Hunting

$350 + $50 + $100 Black Chip Bounty PLO - High (Re-Entry)

Sholom Lipszyc

Sholom Lipszync (New York, NY) busted the player in seat 1 and Larry Wolf (Annapolis, MD) on the same hand, collecting two Black Chip Bounties in the process.  He's up to ~50k.

Larry re-entered and landed back at the same table in the same seat.

Also busted and not re-entered (yet) is Manh Nguyen.

Event 12: Busted Before Break

$600 + $60 Six-Max No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)   

Players are on a break after the end of level six.  This is their last chance to register or re-enter.

Luke Edwards has busted out and tweeted his demise:

AK<kq aipf busto 6max! #bspo

Michael Marder has also busted out, but has re-entered, tweeting:

Booo 1st reentry of the series :( #BSPO12 #6max

Mike Hahn busted out and doesn't plan to re-enter.  He's headed for the cash games.

These folks have also busted out and not yet re-appeared:

Bart Dowling
Grace Sun

Event 12: Miller Time (Not)

$600 + $60 Six-Max No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)   

Level 6:  Blinds 200/400 with 50 ante.

Robert Miller (Nanuet, NY) got his last chips in good with pocket Jacks against pocket 4s.

Robert Miller

By the river, however, his opponent had made a straight and Robert was on the rail.

Not for long, though.  He has reentered and landed at a new table, hoping for better luck.

Event 13: Torn Between Two Tournaments

$350 + $50 + $100 Black Chip Bounty PLO - High (Re-Entry)


Manh Nguyen

I ran into Manh Nguyen (Munhall, PA) earlier, standing in the middle of the Poker Room.

"I can't decide" he said "between the Six Max and the PLO". 

After a little more deliberation, he sat down in the PLO event. 

Manh has two Borgata Open titles:

2011 Borgata Poker Open, $500 NLH, $39,941
2012 Borgata Spring Poker Open, $350 NLH Black Chip Bounty, $30,159

So it's time to add a PLO trophy to his mantle.  Picking up a few bounties along the way would be a nice bonus.

Event 13: Sacks Sacked

$350 + $50 + $100 Black Chip Bounty PLO - High (Re-Entry)   

Level 3:  Blinds 75/150.

Gil Sacks

Gil Sacks (Bala Cynwyd, PA) has already busted out of this event.  Gil is one of about 30 players who has two Borgata Open trophies to his credit.

He won his first in the 2010 Borgata Summer Poker Open $200 NLH event for $28,077.  Then he followed that up with a win in the 2011 Borgata Spring Poker Open $300 NLH event for $21,429.

He hasn't reentered this event (yet) and I'm not sure if he plans to.  

Registration and re-entry is open through the break after level six (about 3:30 pm).

Event 12: Tough Table

$600 + $60 Six-Max No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)  

Level 4:  Blinds 100/200.

Players have just returned from their first break of the day.

Table Twelve has filled up with a tough lineup for any event.  These Borgata regulars are sharing that particular patch of felt:

William Johnson (10th in event 10 yesterday)
Chris Edwards
Michael DiChiaro
Gordon McKenzie

Event 12: Roll Call

$600 + $60 Six-Max No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)  

Level 3:  Blinds 75/150.

Tables are filling up (as full as they can get with only six chairs) with lots of familiar faces:

Table 3

Perry Johnston
Lyle Diamond

Table 4

Scott Wardell
Robert Miller

Table 5

Bart Dowling
Olivier Correge

Table 6

Philip Rinaldi
David Johnston

Table 7

Steven Tabb
Abe Korotki
Alan Kraut


Online Winner

Congratulations to the winner for entry into Borgata Summer Poker Open Championship


TOM BELASIC 

Event 13: PLO Bounty Hunting Begins

$350 + $50 + $100 Black Chip Bounty PLO - High (Re-Entry)  

If four card poker is your thing, this event is for you.  If bounty hunting is in your blood, then you'll love this one.

Today's Pot Limit Omaha tournament is underway and every player has a $100 price tag on his or her head...well actually, on their stack.  Whoever takes their last tournament chip also gets their Black Chip, good for $100.

Players began with 15,000 tournament chips and levels are 30 minutes long for the duration of the event.

Level 1:  Blinds 25/50.

Event 12: Nobody Works Harder Than Marder

$600 + $60 Six-Max No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry) 

Michael Marder
 
Michael Marder (Sewell, NJ) is back on the felt again today, ready to take another shot at that elusive Borgata Open trophy.

Michael finished second in event 9 ($260 BS NL) for $23,458 in the early hours of yesterday morning after holding the chip lead for a lot of the final table action.

This is his second runner-up finish at Borgata and 14th career tournament cash here.

Michael survived the $200 Survivor a couple of days ago adding $2,000 to his bankroll.

In event 5, the $350 Big Stack NLH, Michael just missed the money, finishing three from a min-cash.

He finished 18th in the opening event, the $350 Deep Stack Double Play NLH event (out of 1,383 entries) earning $2,480.

All this grinding has put Michael 14th in points on the Borgata Summer Poker Open Leaderboard with 249.350.  The top ten in points at the end of the series earn buy-ins to future tournaments -- just what he needs, right?

His biggest career score came in the 2012 Borgata Summer Poker Open Championship Event when he finished second for $110,044.

"I really want one of those," said Marder about the Borgata trophy. "I'll take anything, a trophy, bracelet, ring. It's okay, it'll happen."

The 26-year-old full time pro now has more than $275,000 in reported live tournament earnings.

Borgata Summer Poker Open Leaderboard Update (6/14)

Borgata Summer Poker Open Leaderboard
By participating in any Borgata Summer Poker Open event (June 4-21, 2013), players earn points based upon the Borgata Summer Poker Tournament Leaderboard Formula.

Below are the top scores for the 2013 Borgata Summer Poker Open Leaderboard*
(Final Results from Main events: 1, 2, 3, 4 , 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
Secondary events: 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 27)

378.175:  JOHN WHITING
354.750:  LEE KIRSCH
312.488:  ADRIAN SILVESCU
312.000:  MICHAEL BONNEY
305.038:  ILYA VASSERMAN
294.450:  RICHARD DEVIVO
282.653:  THOMAS BALLA
280.200:  EARL KING
269.138:  STEVEN POLIMENI
264.650:  FRANK VULPIS
259.325:  GRAESON BURNETTE-PEAKE
254.310:  DAVID EILERS
250.675:  TOBY KASSER
249.350:  MICHAEL MARDER
246.238:  MICHAEL HAHN
242.075:  BENJAMIN LAVES
241.300:  SHE LOK WONG
240.463:  MOHD EID
238.375:  JAMES MCKEON
229.500:  PHILIP RINALDI
226.498:  ERIC SIEGEL
224.100:  PAUL VACCHIO
223.833:  NEVILLE DARRELL
218.400:  KHOI TA
216.000:  ADILBEK KARAGUISHIYEV
214.175:  ARMANDO THEN
208.525:  JEFFREY GURFINKEL
207.370:  GENE MAZZA
207.188:  DAVID HECK
207.113:  CHII CHING SUN
204.475:  SCOTT HILLIER
203.850:  PAYAM EFTEKHAR JAHROMI
202.750:  HAROLD CUSSON

Event 12: Sixers Underway

$600 + $60 Six-Max No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry) 

Today's event is an ever-popular Six Max, which is played six-handed (until the final table, which forms when seven players remain).

Players began with 15,000 chips and levels 1-6 are 30 minutes long.  Levels 7-12 are 40 minutes long.  Levels 13-18 are 50 minutes long.  Levels 19+ are 60 minutes long.

Level 1:  Blinds 25/50.

Cards are in the air!

Friday, June 14

TODAY'S EVENTS (Poker Room) 

11AM: Event 12 - $600 + $60 Six-Max No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry) 
  • Players start with 15,000 in tournament chips 
  • Levels 1-6: will last thirty (30) minutes each | Levels 7-12: will last forty (40) minutes each | Levels 13-18: will last fifty (50) minutes each |
  • Players may Re-Enter through Level 6
  • 2-Day event.  Day 2 begins Saturday at 12PM
12PM: Event 13 - $350 + $50 + $100 Black Chip Bounty PLO - High (Re-Entry)  
  • Players start with 15,000 in tournament chips 
  • Levels will last 30 minutes each
  • Players may Re-Enter through Level 6
  • 1-Day event 
3 PM: Event 38 - $135 + $25 Championship Qualifier NLH

  • Players start with 12,000 in tournament chips 
  • Levels will last 25 minutes each
  • Approximately one (1) in every twenty (20) players will win a $2,700 Entry to play in the BORGATA SUMMER POKER OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT June 16-20, 2013
  • 1-Day event 

7 PM: Event 39 - $150 + $30 + $100 Black Chip Bounty No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)
  • Players start with 15,000 in tournament chips 
  • This is a Bounty tournament.  Players must have their Bounty chips clearly displayed on table in order to remain active in tournament.
  • Levels 1 - 12: will last twenty (20) minutes each | Levels 13+: will last twenty-five (25) minutes each
  • Players may enter through Level 7 
  • 1-Day event

    Event 11: Photo Slideshow


    May not work on mobile devices.

    Event 11: Players Survive Long Day

    $500 + $50 Ultimate Super Satellite: Main Event/WPT Borgata Poker Open Championship

    Survivor Winners & Robin Doherty (Pittsburgh, PA)

    After 17 hours of poker, five $14,000 Survivor Packages were awarded along with some extra cash.

    167 players entered the tournament and an impressive three women got their piece of the $83,500 total buy-in. 

    Final Results

    1st-5th Places: $3,500 WPT Borgata Poker Open Seat + $10,500 

    Maruti Yarlapati (Pine Brook, NJ)
    Ray Taylor (Virginia Beach, VA)
    Corri Pranevich (Pittsburgh, PA)
    Joanna Leban (New York, NY)
    Dave Kressel (Brooklyn, NY)

    6th Place: $10,995

    Ms. A. Nonymous

    Event 10: Photo Slideshow


    May not work on mobile devices.

    Event 10 Recap

    $400 + $50 No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

    Call it the Iron Man tournament of the Borgata Summer Poker Open as the final table agreed to turn the two-day tournament into a one day marathon.  In the end its Hung "Kevin" Truong (Freehold, NJ) who outlasted Antonio Walker (Willingboro, NJ) to take the title, the trophy and the $15,483 first place prize.

    "It feels great to win a tournament, nothing compares to it," said Truong, who also made the final table of the WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open in January for $61,000. "But when you look at it from the financial side, winning $61k was better, but still nice to have a victory."

    On the final hand, Walker moved all in with the board showing 5 6 10 K 8, but Truong made the tough call with a pair of 10s against a busted straight draw. "I'm very happy with the result," said Walker who earned $8,515, his 24th and largest career Borgata cash.

    "Yeah I got second place, but I'll take it."

    Walker had one foot out the door when play was three-handed with Paddy Naughton, but an Ace on the river saved his tournament life.  Walker cracked Naughton's pocket Kings and crippled the eventual third place finisher.

    "That hurt," said Naughton, "it was demoralizing." If I win that I have almost all the chips," he said knowing he was one card away from being heads up with Truong. "But it happens, it was fun."

    The tournament began with 133 entries for a total buy-in of $53,200 and was scheduled to stop at 2 am, but the final nine players agreed to play on.

    "I'm glad to we did," said Walker. "I was in a groove and a rhythm and knew how everyone was playing. I didn't want to go to bed and have to start over."

    The final table featured Borgata regular Sirous Jamshidi who finished 6th and Tom Balla (4th) who was fresh off his 2nd place finish in the Deepest Stack (Event 7) earlier in the week.

    Also in the money was Borgata trophy winner Paul Vacchio (16th) and Ilya Vasserman (18th), both are recognizable names who min cashed for $774.

    With no Day 2 to play, Truong and Walker can rest up as they each decide if they'll play the Championship Event which starts Sunday.

    Final Results

    Entries: 133
    Total Buy-In: $53,200

    Place - Amount
    1st Kevin Truong (Freehold, NJ) $15,483
    2nd Antonio Walker (Willingboro, NJ) $8,515
    3rd Paddy Naughton (Ridgeway, NJ) $4,902
    4th Tom Balla (Queens, NY) $4,128
    5th Vinny Moscati (Westchester, NY) $3,096
    6th Sirous Jamshidi (Broomall, PA) $2,580
    7th Dan Beavers (White Plains, MD) $2,064
    8th Henry Telias (N. Woodmere, NY) $1,548
    9th Kevin Lutz (Bellmawr, NJ) $1,161
    10th William Johnson (Ray, OH) $1,032

    FINAL RESULTS

    Event 10: 1st place - Truong

     $400 + $50 No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry) 

    Hung "Kevin" Truong (Freehold, NJ)
    $15,483  

    Blinds 15k/30k/4k ante

    Kevin Truong and Antonio Walker see a flop of 5 6 10♠.

    Truong checks, Walker bets 40k, Truong makes it 170k, Walker calls.

    Turn: K

    Check, check

    River: 8♣

    Truong checks, Walker moves all in for 390k and Truong goes in the tank.

    "I don't want to be even with you again," cringes Truong who eventually calls.

    "You got it," says Walker who turns over 4s 3s for a missed open ended straight draw.

    Truong turns over 10♣ 7 for the winning pair of 10s

    "It feels great to a win a tournament," says Truong, who earns $15,483 and the trophy for the win.

    It continues his 2013 hot streak which inclueds making the WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open final table in January for his largest career cash of $61,000.

    Event 10: 2nd Place - Walker

     $400 + $50 No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)  

     Antonio Walker (Willingboro, NJ)
       $8,515

    On the final hand Antonio Walker put Kevin Truong to the test and Truong was up to the challenge.

    On a board of 5 6 10 K 8, Walker was all in for 390k and Truong called with the winning pair of 10s.  Walker missed an open ended straight draw and settled for second place.

    "I'm very happy with the result," said Walker who earns $8,515, "Yeah I got second place, but I'll take it, especially when I was down to 2k and the blinds were 50/100. If I had been offered $8-grand then, I would have signed up."

    This is Walker's 24th and largest career Borgata cash.

    Event 10: 3rd Place - Naughton

     $400 + $50 No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry) 

    Paddy Naughton (Ridgeway, NJ) 
    $4,902

    Blinds 10k/20k/3k ante

    Paddy Naughton sends a double-up to Kevin Truong and is knocked out a few hands later by Antonio Walker.

    Against Truong, on a board of A 5 9 9, Naughton bets 150k.  

    "There's no way you have a 9," says Truong who makes the call.

    When an 8 hits the river, Naughton moves all in and puts Truong at risk for his last 230k.

    "I don't think you have a 9," says Truong who eventually makes the call.

    Naughton turns over 5 7 for a pair of 5s against Truong's A 4 and a winning pair of Aces.

    The hand knocks Naughton down to 300k which he ends up losing to Walker.

    Naughton, a retired iron worker, earns $4,902 for his third place finish.

    Walker and Truong begin heads up play even in chips.

    Event 10: Walker Backs Into Double-up

    $400 + $50 No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry) 

    Blinds 10k/20k/3k ante

    Paddy Naughton raises the button to 60k, Kevin Truong folds, Antonio Walker moves all in for 385k and Naughton snap calls.

    Naughton: KK
    Walker: AK

    "What a cooler," says Walker who has one foot out the door until an Ace hits the river.

    The double-up levels the playing field and all three players have roughly 650k.

    "It's one pot," says Walker as three-handed play continues.

    Event 10: 4th Place - Balla

    $400 + $50 No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry) 

     Tom Balla (Queens, NY) 
    $4,128

    Blinds 10k/20k/3k

    Tom Balla is all in for 233k and gets no help vs Kevin Truong AJ < AK.

    Balla finishes in 4th place for $4,128.  This comes on the heels of his second place finish in the Deepest Stack tournament earlier this week for $16,442.

    Event 10: 5th Place - Moscati

    $400 + $50 No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)  

    Vinny Moscati (Westchester, NY) 
     $3,096

    Blinds 8k/16k/2k ante

    After shipping a double-up to Kevin Truong, Vinny Moscati is all in for 225k against Paddy Naughton.

    Moscati: KK
    Naughton: A9

    The flop brings an Ace and an end to Moscati's day.

    Moscati finishes in 5th place for $3,096 and Naughton extends his chip lead to 1.3 million, more than half the chips in play.

    Event 11: Survivor Down to 10

    $500 + $50 Ultimate Super Satellite: Main Event/WPT Borgata Poker Open Championship 

    Final Table

    10 players are left vying for the six prizes.  The top 5 receive the $14,000 package, with 6th place getting nearly $11,000.

    Event 10: Iron Man 2

     $400 + $50 No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)  

    The remaining five players have agreed to play to a winner officially turning the two-day tournament into a one day marathon.

    Blinds are up to 8k/16k/2k

    Chip Counts

    Paddy Naughton (Ridgeway, NJ) 988k (62 bb)
    Vinny Moscati (Westchester, NY) 440k
    Antonio Walker (Willingboro, NJ) 238k
    Kevin Truong (Freehold, NJ) 235k
    Tom Balla (Queens, NY) 103k (6 bb)

    Event 10: 6th Place - Jamshidi

    $400 + $50 No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry) 

    Sirous Jamshidi (Broomall, PA) 
    $2,580

    Blinds 6k/12k/2k ante

    Sirous Jamshidi is all in for 75k and at risk vs Antonio Walker.

    Jamshidi: A 2♣
    Walker: K 9

    Flop: 10 10♣ 8

    Turn: 10♠

    River 9♠

    Walker hits a full house on the river to win the hand.

    Jamshidi takes home $2,580 for his 6th place finish.

    Event 10: 7th Place - Beavers

     $400 + $50 No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)  

    Dan Beavers (White Plains, MD) 
    $2,064

    Blinds 6k/12k/2k ante

    On a board of 9♠ 3♠ 8 Dan Beavers puts the last of his chips in against Paddy Naughton.

    Beavers: K♠ Q♠
    Naughton 9♣ 6♣

    Beavers has two overs to the board and a flush draw and bricks the turn and river.  He finishes in 7th place, earning $2,064

    Event 10: Beavers Not Eagers to Leave

    $400 + $50 No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry) 

    Dan Beavers picks up back-to-back double-ups, first through Vinny Moscati, then 87k through Kevin Truong.

    In between those hands Truong and Moscati tangled in a big pot with Truong folding.

    The hand gave Moscati the chip lead at 500k, while Truong, who has been up and down, dropped to as short stack at 100k.

    Blinds moving up to 6k/12k/2k ante.

    Event 10: 8th Place - Telias

    $400 + $50 No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)  

    Henry Telias (N. Woodmere, NY) 
     $1,548

    Blinds 4k/8k/1k ante

    The short stacks are finally hitting the rail and Henry Telias is next to go.

    Minutes after Kevin Lutz busts, Telias loses his last 40k to Vinny Moscati (5 3 vs KQ)

    Telias earns $1,548 for his 8th place finish.

    Blinds moving up to 5k/10k/1k ante.

    Event 10: 9th Place - Lutz

    $400 + $50 No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry) 

     Kevin Lutz (Bellmawr, NJ) 
    $1,161

    4k/8k/1k ante

    Kevin Lutz ships 100k from MP with 88, but doesn't get any help against the pocket Kings of Kevin Truong.

    Lutz finishes in 9th place for $1,161, this the first elimination in two hours.

    Event 10: Iron Man Poker

    $400 + $50 No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry) 

    The remaining players have passed on bagging and tagging at 2 am and are going to play the next three levels. That's when they'll reevaluate on whether to play to a winner or to follow the original two-day structure.

    Blinds 4k/8k/1k ante

    Seat-Name-Chip Count

    1 Tom Balla (Queens, NY) 212k
    2 Kevin Lutz (Bellmawr, NJ) 100k
    3 Henry Telias (N. Woodmere, NY) 89k (11 bb)
    4 Antonio Walker (Willingboro, NJ) 255k
    5 Paddy Naughton (Ridgeway, NJ) 304k
    6 Vinny Moscati (Westchester, NY) 315k
    7 Dan Beavers (White Plains, MD) 223k
    8 Kevin Truong (Freehold, NJ) 402k (50 bb)
    9 Sirous Jamshidi (Broomall, PA) 100k

    Event 10: Short Stacks Slug it Out

    $400 + $50 No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)  

    Lutz (center) & Telias (right) are 
    all in, while Balla Watches
     
    Blinds 3k/6k/500 ante

    Kevin Lutz jams from the cutoff for 50k, Henry Telias reshoves for 70k and the two are heads up.

    Lutz: AQ
    Telias: AJ

    Lutz wins the hand with a flush to double-up and leaves Telilas with just 20k.

    A few hands later, Telias is all in and at risk with A9 vs the 88 Vinny Moscati.  Telias hits a 9 on the river and the short stack ninja won't go away.

    Players are on a 15 minute purple (500) chip color-up break.

    Event 11: 19 Left, Paying 5+

    $500 + $50 Ultimate Super Satellite: Main Event/WPT Borgata Poker Open Championship 

    The grind towards the $14,000 Survivor Prize Package is down to 19 players.  Five full packages are on the line along with $10,995 for 6th place.

    Here's a look at your remaining players. Literally, just pictures!

    Table 1 

    Table 3

    Table 4 

    (No word on what happened to Table 2)

    Event 10: "I Want a Trophy"

    $400 + $50 No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry) 

    Blinds 3k/6k/500 ante

    Tom Balla (UTG +1) raises to 12,500 and gets calls from Antonio Walker and Paddy Naughton before Kevin Truong annouces a raise to 80k.

    Balla quickly moves all in for 143k more, forcing Walker and Naughton to fold and putting Truong in the tank.

    Truong eventually calls, both players flip over AK and they chop the pot.

    When asked if he would've called a preflop shove instead of the 80k raise, Balla says, "I'm not here to lather up, I want to win a trophy."

    Nine-handed play continues to grind on with the average stack at 222k (37 bb) as the entire table agrees the that great structure is allowing for a lot play at the final table.

    Event 10: Doubling Up

    $400 + $50 No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry) 

    Blinds 2.5k/5k/500 ante

    The short stacks are staying alive as nine-handed play continues.

    Henry Telias has been hanging by a thread since the bubble and doubles through Sirous Jamshidi with AK vs 88 when he hits an Ace on the river to take his stack to 90k.

    During hand-for-hand play Telias was down to 5 bb and at risk vs Kevin Lutz.  Lutz is counterfeited on the river and Telias' Ace plays with two pairs on the board.

    Shortly after Jamshidi ships the double-up, he gets it back and more in a hand with Kevin Truong who has been on the down tick.  Jamshidi hits a straight on the river to vs Truong's trips.

    Jamshidi doubles to more than 200k, while Truong drops to about the same amount. Paddy Naughton is now the chip leader at 420k.

    Event 10: 10th Place - Johnson

    $400 + $50 No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry) 

     William Johnson (Ray, OH) 
    $1,032

    Blinds 2k/4k/400 ante

    William Johnson is down to 11k ( < 3 bb) and is all in with 8 3 vs the AJ of Kevin Truong.  Johnson hits a 3 on the flop, but Truong gets an Ace on the turn to extend his chip lead to nearly 500k.

    Johnson finishes in 10th place for $1,032.